Week 3 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - 'full' or light?

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Here's The Spreadsheet as per

Hopefully you've had a good second week, and have settled down into Bootcamp ways by now, and any trace of carb flu is but a distant memory.

By now, if not already, you should be well into the switch from burning carbs to burning fat. You should be finding it much easier to go between meals without snacking, and should find your energy levels picking up, maybe even feeling like you've got more energy than you had before.

So as we start week 3, you have a choice: you can continue on Bootcamp if it's suiting you, or you can move to Bootcamp Light, which means:

• you don't have to have three meals a day
• you can have some fruit (berries)
• you can have some nuts/seeds
• you can drink some alcohol

Please not the use of the word some! This isn't carte blanche for you to go mad. Just remember, all these things will add a lot of carbs quite quickly - so it's very much in moderation.

You also need to know/remember that week 3 (and 4) is infamous for being the point at which weight loss slows - sometimes even stops - so this is another good reason to go easy when you relax things

A good compromise is to stay strictly Bootcamp during the week but Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever you choose, hope the results this morning are positive, and wishing us all good luck for the week ahead.

B: two hard boiled eggs with salt at my desk at 10:30 (fasting/early swim day)
L: chicken Caesar salad: chicken thighs fried in ghee, will do 3 lunches. Spinach, tomato, cucumber, bit of grated Parmesan and Cardini's sauce. Yogurt with 25g frozen blueberries for a change.
D: cauli mash topped Shepherd's Pie. The lamb mice will be cooked with shallots, celery, a couple of carrots, a broccoli stalk, and anything else lying around Probably cavolo nero on the side.
Well on my way with water today.

@Jdhshekr I weighed this morning to find I was 2lbs up from Sunday Do you find that whilst you lose every week, your weight can flucuate down within a week?

I also eat a LOT more than most people on this thread, but sine I've given up sugar, I reckon I will lose. As I'm a sugar savage once I start, I'm planning to make LC a more long term WoE this time. I'm happy with slow steady loss, but GAINS!!

[quote Summery1]@Jdhshekr I weighed this morning to find I was 2lbs up from Sunday Do you find that whilst you lose every week, your weight can flucuate down within a week?

I also eat a LOT more than most people on this thread, but sine I've given up sugar, I reckon I will lose. As I'm a sugar savage once I start, I'm planning to make LC a more long term WoE this time. I'm happy with slow steady loss, but GAINS!! [/quote]
Yes, your body does fluctuate quite naturally day by day.

Plumstone I recently made pate and it was fantastic and really easy so I'll post the recipe when I get chance! I'd expected a faff but it wasn't at all.

I did make my own yogurt a couple of years ago with much enthusiasm but soon realised it was a bad idea. I don't really consider cheese and yogurt to be "processed" unless with additives but my goal was to reduce plastic waste- yogurt pots. However this meant using milk in glass bottles and so turned out more expensive than buying it, it was really faffy (forever boiling milk over) and wasn't that nice anyway! Sold the machine on eBay I think if you use UHT milk it is cheaper and simpler though.

I've decided that my immediate interim goal is to get consistently into the 11s and to no longer see 12st because of daily fluctuations

Next goal is to get into the 11st "single digits", ie 11st 9 and 3/4 lb or below .

Hopefully, I'll get there in 3 weeks, ie half way through Boot Camp

Nice goals prettyscary and made me think mine through properly.

Final goal 119lbs (8 and a half stones); BMI of 21.

Half way though this bootcamp I want to be consistently 122.5 (8 and 3/4) or below.

Half term and the lurgy means that I have stayed the same having small DC around all the time has really cut down my prep time! DS2 has brought a cold home from school and is kindly sharing it around... Hoping to make some cauli mash later, sounds just the thing to cheer me up a bit!

Cheese scones in the oven smell lush hope they taste as good!!!

[quote Summery1]@Jdhshekr I weighed this morning to find I was 2lbs up from Sunday Do you find that whilst you lose every week, your weight can flucuate down within a week?

I also eat a LOT more than most people on this thread, but sine I've given up sugar, I reckon I will lose. As I'm a sugar savage once I start, I'm planning to make LC a more long term WoE this time. I'm happy with slow steady loss, but GAINS!! [/quote]
Yes, my weight fluctuates throughout the 9-10 day period before each official gym weigh in. Obviously my period affects it and if I haven’t had enough water or if I’ve eaten a particularly heavy meal. But exercise is what causes my weight to go up the most, hence my 10 days cycle: I tend to do 2 or 3 days exercise then a rest day and repeat the cycle, but I don’t exercise for the 2 days before my official weigh in to give my muscles chance to heal, which means that I lose the excess water. So if you’ve been for a run or done an exercise class or even walked more than usual, you will most likely be heavier the next day. For me, a really good workout can add nearly 3lbs some days, but it all works out in the end.

itsmeagainagain they look amazing,! Enjoy them.

prettyscarybird you have the same goals as me, we are at a similar point.

Eating has been fine last few days but I am missing out on my much-needed day off today as DS2 is home from school not well. I had so many plans for jobs to get done! 😭

Thanks @ponygirlcurtis 😊 so they were good but I’m not gonna lie they don’t have that lovely stodgy quality of a cheese scone however with a big slab of butter and with a side of creamed spinach it was a delicious lunch 👍

Thanks Rayna37 and BIWI, because I was behind with the thread I skipped ahead to ask. Then saw BIWI's suggestion of switching to shallots when I went back to catch up while it was cooking.

Is it the weigh-in spreadsheet I check the carb count of vegetables? I went through the bootcamp rules thread after remembering there was a list of veg and their carb count but couldn't find it.

ClaraTheImpossibleGirl

Half term and the lurgy means that I have stayed the same sad having small DC around all the time has really cut down my prep time!

I find the same! I can start cooking lunch at 12pm and not be able to finish making or eat it until around 4 which is why I try have something with minimal effort. It's also why most of my dinners are made so late at night, it's just easier to make something when the toddlers are in bed.

I'm loving hearing about everyone's weight loss and goals, especially those so close! I'm also aiming for 8.5st (my healthy weight for a once slight 5ft2). But at over 14st I just can't believe it's something I can achieve, theres just so much to loose!

Meal plan for today..
B. Nothing, fasting.
L. Just had some left over chicken in nando's sauce dinner from last night.
D. Pork chops with buttered veg and creamy pepper sauce.

I might need to slow down with the water, I'm already on my 4th pint. It's going down surprisingly easy today though.

Just came on to say that my seriously low carb bread arrived and I am seriously impressed! Don’t get me wrong it's no sourdough but it made a great sandwich. I think part of me suspected this woe was a short term fix (as in the past) but this makes it all seem very doable.

B - black coffee, few slices of cheese
L - curry cauli soup and sandwich on the lc bread with ham, cheese, salad and mayo
D - chicken and chorizo casserole with FLGV

PPs have got me thinking about my own goals. That should give me something to ponder as I procrastinate at the laptop this afternoon

I’m intrigued by the bread but worried that it might slow my losses down. I might wait until I hit my next interim target in 5lbs time and then try some.

@plumstone I have massive sympathy! I am plowing my way through a massive vat of mushroom pate I made on Saturday. It was meant to be like one I had in Borough Market years ago which was divine but it’s not even in the same zipcode.

I also hate waste but the damned thing is refusing to go off. I don’t know when I can judge it out of date. Tomorrow? Friday? I’ve eaten bowls and bowls of it and somehow there’s still most of a Tupperware left.

@itsmeagainagain they look fab!

@Jdhshekr it's nice to hear that other people eat lots too. My appetite fluctuates day by day, sometimes I can go with little more than a meal and a snack, other days it's full b, l, d and then some! I'm focusing on really turning in to my appetite and hunger cues after years of calorie counting and eating allotted amounts regardless of hunger. It's a learning process for me!

I made a really delicious grain and nut free low carb pizza which you could actually slice and pick up for lunch using cauliflower. It was brilliant and so easy, I've attached photos and my recipe in case anyone is interested. I used eatlean protein cheese because I didn't have enough mozzarella but obv this lowers the fat more than I would like!

BasicMadeira - really impressed with your doughnut willpower!

Midlifemission - thank you, glad you're finding the photos helpful :)

BurningGubbins - congratulations on the whoosh and why did I not think to set an interim target?? Going to change mine now to being back in a 'healthy' BMI which is only 6lbs away :)

Plumstone - I'll have been off sugar for a month this coming Sunday and feel so much better for it, but find if I give in and have something sugary I fall off the wagon in spectacular style and it can take months to climb back on it. Do you have any tips for fighting off the occasional craving?

Yesterday was soup, a chunk of cheese and a leftover sausage for lunch (and for the first time I didn't get the 4pm munchies after soup, so more protein and fat obviously needed with it) and then chilli and FLGV for supper.

Today DH surprised me by taking the day off and suggesting we go out for lunch, so I had a spicy chicken and bacon salad, and supper will be sprouts roasted with a few slices of chorizo and a handful of grated cheese over the top. Bit high on processed meats today, but I'm normally pretty good about them, so not going to beat myself up about it.

[quote fizzfridays]@itsmeagainagain they look fab!

@Jdhshekr it's nice to hear that other people eat lots too. My appetite fluctuates day by day, sometimes I can go with little more than a meal and a snack, other days it's full b, l, d and then some! I'm focusing on really turning in to my appetite and hunger cues after years of calorie counting and eating allotted amounts regardless of hunger. It's a learning process for me!

I made a really delicious grain and nut free low carb pizza which you could actually slice and pick up for lunch using cauliflower. It was brilliant and so easy, I've attached photos and my recipe in case anyone is interested. I used eatlean protein cheese because I didn't have enough mozzarella but obv this lowers the fat more than I would like!
[/quote]
I’m similar. Today I’ve just picked at a bit of chicken, cucumber and mayo for lunch because I had a big breakfast quite late. Most days I eat a large breakfast and either a large lunch or dinner (but they’re never both large - always one is small and one is large) and a couple of snacks throughout the day. I’ve always needed a lot of fuel for some reason. I do exercise use about 5 days per week so I guess I just burn an extra 2000 calories per week from that. Maybe that’s how I get away with it.

That pizza looks incredible! Would copy but I can’t eat tomatoes without becoming over friendly with the toilet for the next few days 😭

Struggling today and not sure why. I seem very on edge food wise, like I could easily fall off the wagon but i honestly don't know why!

I've eaten lots of pistachios in hopes the saltyness would appease me.. figure better than what my brains telling me I want! I had 100g which is about 12g carbs so high but not day ruining. Kcals are high.

Off to Miller and carter tonight. Had stronger resolve last week and didn't touch the onion loaf (forgot it comes with) and said no chips. I bloody love onions mind.

No loss since my woosh. This won't help! But i really want to stay on track so i atleast don't gain.

I saw a photo of a friend I've lost touch with yesterday and it looks like she's lost weight. Comparison being the thief of joy this made me feel crap about myself and focus on how much I still have to lose instead of how far I've come. Humpf

I can't remember if I've asked this before but has anyone signed up to FIIT? I'm doing the 2 week free trial as of yesterday. The only exercise I currently do is yoga and that's only been a couple of months. I need to do some cardio I think

I'm holding off buying the low carb bread (partly because it's £££) but I'm pleased to hear @earlgreyhaunt say it will make lchf more sustainable

@buffythebuffetslayer I think it's easy to bury your head and not try when you have a large number to lose (I've certainly been guilty). We'll both get there and bloody hell it'll feel good!

I've bought some vital wheat gluten so that I can give experimenting with my own low carb sourdough recipe a go. I'll fill it chockablock full of seeds. It will probably be disastrous - but you never know!

I'll need to jot down the quantities so that I can then work out the carb count.

thanks @fizzfridays

@Oneborneverydecade

I saw a photo of a friend I've lost touch with yesterday and it looks like she's lost weight. Comparison being the thief of joy this made me feel crap about myself and focus on how much I still have to lose instead of how far I've come. Humpf

I can't remember if I've asked this before but has anyone signed up to FIIT? I'm doing the 2 week free trial as of yesterday. The only exercise I currently do is yoga and that's only been a couple of months. I need to do some cardio I think

I'm holding off buying the low carb bread (partly because it's £££) but I'm pleased to hear @earlgreyhaunt say it will make lchf more sustainable

@buffythebuffetslayer I think it's easy to bury your head and not try when you have a large number to lose (I've certainly been guilty). We'll both get there and bloody hell it'll feel good!

@Oneborneverydecade I totally get this. Instead of being motivated by friends weight loss I start feeling ultra fat and that sometimes ends up in me sabotaging my own weightloss. Definitely focus on your own progress and goals

@itsmeagainagain we're our own worst enemies aren't we. Thank you